Axemen Topple Tigers

WOLFVILLE, N.S. - Tied at one after two periods, the CIS No. 4 Acadia Axemen netted four unanswered goals within six minutes in the third frame, handing the visiting Dalhousie Tigers a 5-1 loss on the eve of Rogers Hometown Hockey weekend in Wolfville. The loss is the third in a row for the Tigers, while the Axemen extend their winning streak to six.

Phil Gadoury (Montreal, Que.) scored the first and only goal for the Tigers at 14:24 in the first period.

Acadia didn't get on the scoreboard until early in the second period on the man advantage when Geoff Schemitsch (Thornhill, Ont.) scored his first of two goals. Schemitsch's wrist shot from under the blue line made it past a crowd in front of Tiger goaltender Corbin Boes (Saskatoon, Sask.) for Acadia's first goal.

Out-shooting the Tigers 27-15 after two periods, the flood gates opened in the third. Fourteen seconds into the final frame, Brett Thompson (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) scored his seventh goal of the season assisted by Mike Cazzola (Guelph, Ont.). Thompson's tough angle shot from the centre of the faceoff circle beat Boes on the short side.

Less than a minute later, fourth year forward Mike Cazzola scored his third goal in two games giving Acadia a 3-1 lead early in the third period. Cazzola's goal was taken nearly at the same spot as Thompson's preceding goal and was assisted by Thompson.

Remy Giftopoulos (Ancaster, Ont.) scored with 4:41 off the clock in the third frame to give the Axemen a commanding 4-1 lead. Giftopoulus pulled the puck out from behind the net and circled to the slot where he beat Boes high on the blocker side.

Schemitsch scored his second goal, high on the blocker side of backup goaltender Wendall Vye (Moncton, N.B.), on the powerplay at the six minute mark of the third to end the five consecutive goal onslaught. Schemitsch was named the Subway First Star of the Game, while teammate Mike Cazzola garnered the Second Star honours. Colton Parsons of the Tigers was named the third star.

One hundred and thirty three minutes in penalties were assessed in three periods. Boes was pulled with 15:19 remaining in the final frame after stopping 27 shots and allowing four goals. Vye took over and allowed one goal on 13 shots. Axeman Brandon Glover was tested on 23 shots, allowing one goal on the first shot of the game.

The Axemen improve to 12-2-1, while Tigers drop to 4-9-2. Acadia will take on the Laurentian Voyageurs on January 2^nd in exhibition play at home and Dalhousie will rest over the Christmas Break until the regular season begins again on January 8^th with the Tigers traveling to UNB.

Source: Acadia Athletics